Heat storing curling bobbin and heating device



1 1970 TOMIO MAKINO 3,54

-.-HEAT STORING CURLING BOBBIN AND HEATING DEVICE Filed June 19, 1968 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 17, 1970 HEAT STORING GURLING BOBBIN Filed June 19.1968 TOMIO MAKINO AND HEATING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 7

United States Patent ice US. Cl. 219222 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A device for curling hair comprises an electrical heatlngplate mounted in a case and disposed so as to heat a plurality ofthermally conductive rods mounted on the plate. A hollow curling bobbinis removably mounted on each of the rods and each curling bobbincomprises an inner cylinder of thermally conductive material such asaluminum, an intermediate cylinder formed of a heat storing materialsuch as polycarbonate and an outer cylinder formed of a hard syntheticresin. The outer cylinder has a plurality of radial projections adaptedfor twining hair on the bobbin. The device has a first safety devicewhich regulates the temperature of the heater rods and a second safetydevice which interrupts electrical power to the heater rods if the firstsafety device fails.

The invention relates in general to hair curling devices and moreparticularly to heating devices for curling hair.

Conventional heat storing curling bobbins have a layer of paraffincontained between inner and outer cylinders. The bobbins are heated byexternal means and heat is stored in the paraflin layer. This type ofbobbin is subject to problems such as the parafiin leaking out frombetween the inner and outer cylinders. Conventional heaters for paraffintype bobbins are also subject to disadvantages such as a requirement foraccommodating different inner diameters found on paraffin type bobbinsand usually require complex electrical thermostats and complexmechanical assemblies.

An object of this invention is to provide a device for heating curlingbobbins in which overheating is prevented even if the thermostat meansare out of order.

Another object of this invention is to provide a heat storing curlingbobbin which does not use parafiin as a heat-storing material. 8

Another object of this invention is to provide a'device in which curlingbobbins can be easily mounted for heating and can be easily removed whenheated.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device in which it ispossible to confirm the fact that the bobbin temperature is high enoughfor use.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device which is ofsimple construction and is portable.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had byreferring to the following description and claims, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a hair curling set in accordance with theinvention comprising a plurality of bobbins and heating means housed ina case shown with the cover of the case open.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the hair curling set with a portion of thecase cut away.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the hair curling set with a single bobbin shownin place.

FIG. 4 is a view of the power cord.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of a bobbin.

FIG. 6 is a view of the closed end of the bobbin.

FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram showing electrical connections according tothe invention.

3,541,302 Patented Nov. 17, 1970 A hair curling set in accordance withthe invention shown by way of example in the drawing comprises aplurality of bobbins and heating means housed in a case. The case ismade of a synthetic resin and comprises an outer case 11 and cover 12which are connected by connecting means suh as hinges 13 and 14. Theopening of the cover 12 is limited by a link 17 and by stopper pins 15and 16 which are disposed on portions 11a and 12a of the case 11 andcover 12 respectively.

The cover 12 is provided with a mirror 18 on its inner surface and witha fastener 19 which locks with a fastener 21 on the case 11 when thecover is closed.

The case 11 is provided with a pair of mounting tubes 22 and 23projecting from the bottom of the case near the front and a second pairof mounting tubes 24 and 25 projecting from the bottom of the case nearthe back. These tubes are integrally formed as part of the case oralternately may be bonded to the case.

Each of the tubes has an internal thread. Additional mounting tubes 26,27, 28 and 29 are provided at the locations of the hinges 13 and 14which are attached to case 11 by means of screws fitting into the tubes26, 27, 28 and 29.

An inner case 30, made of a synthetic resin is fitted inside case 11 andis supported on mounting tubes 22, 23, 24 and 25. Inner case 30 isdivided by means of a center partition 31 into compartments 32 and 33.Mounting tubes 26 and 27 are received in a recess 34 and mounting tubes28 and 29 are received in a recess 35 which are formed in the outerwalls of compartments 33 and 32 respectively. Compartment 32 is somewhatdeeper than compartment 33.

A plurality of projecting springs 38 are located on the inner wall ofcompartment 32 and are used to support the bottom of a support plate 39thus creating a space between the support plate and the bottom 32:: ofcompartment 32. This space is used to store a power cord 36. The powercord 36 is provided with plug 361; on one end of lead wire 36a andconnector 36c on the other end.

Spare curl bobbins 37 are stored on projecting rods 40 and 41 which aremounted on the support plate 39. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the rearmargin of the support plate 39 is notched at 39a to accommodate therecessed portion 35 of the compartment 32.

The partition 31 is provided with a countersunk compartment 42 on whicha cover 43 is detachably mounted. Compartment 42 is intended for housinghair pins (not shown).

A pilot lamp 44 is fitted on the top plate 31a of the said partition 31by usual means. An electrical connector 46 with connector pins 46a and46b is firmly fitted in the top plate 31a of partition 31 slightlyspaced from and in front of the pilot lamp by means of a mounting plateand screws 48.

Screw holes 49, 50, 51 and 52 are provided in the corner portions of thebottom wall 33a of the abovementioned compartment 33 at positionscorresponding to the mounting tubes 22, 23, 24 and 25 provided in theouter casing 11. The inner casing 30 can firmly be secured in the outercasing 11 by screwing screws 53 to 56 into the threaded holes 49 to 52provided in the bottom wall 32a and in their corresponding mountingtubes 22 to 25 on bottom of the outer casing. The center part of thebottom wall 33a of the compartment 33 has a rectangular opening 57 whichis fitted firmly with a rectangular plate 58 made of synthetic resin orsimilar insulating material. Plate 58 is provided with circular holes 59aligned both laterally and vertically. Eight holes 59 illustrated in thedrawing are merely an example, and 6 holes or 9 holes or an arbitrarynumber of holes will do.

Heat conductors 60 are inserted in holes 59 with a slight clearance andtheir tops project slightly above the opening of the compartment 33 asshown in FIG. 2. The eight heat conductors 60 appearing in the drawingare illlustrated only by way of example and not as a limitation on thescope of the invention. The heat conductors 60 are made of high thermalconductivity material, such as brass, copper, aluminum or equivalentmaterial, formed into rod-shaped and having lower end portions embeddedinto a heat conducting plate 61 as illustrated in FIG. 2.

The heat conducting plate 61 is likewise made of high thermalconductivity material and is rectangular in shape. The heat conductingplate 61 is mounted spaced from plate 58 by wooden frame members 62which extend transversely of the plate. The heat conducting plate 61 isfixed to the wooden frame members 62 at both of its ends by means ofscrews 63. The ends of the frame members 62 are fixed firmly to thebottom wall 33a of compartment 33 by means of screws 64, 65, 66 and 67.

A heating element 68 is provided under the conducting plate 61 and iscovered on its bottom with insulating material 69. The combination ofthe heating element 68 and the insulating material 69 is suspended fromthe heat conducting plate 61 by means of a channel-shaped metal plate70. The outermost layer of said insulating material 69 is in contactwith said plate 70 as shown in FIG. 2, and the side edges of said plate70 along those of the heat conducting plate 61 are bent to hold saidheat conducting plate 61.

As a protective device, a thermostat mechanism 71 is fitted to the rightlower corner of the said heat conducting plate 61 in the manner that ascrew 72. is screwed up into the said heat conducting plate 61 tosecure' said mechanism 71 to the said heat conducting plate 61. Sincethe structure of the thermostat mechanism 71 is itself well known,detailed explanation and illustrations are not given here. However, theelectrical connection concerning the said mechanism will be described indetail later.

As a second protective device, a temperature responsive fuse 73 isfitted firmly in a fuse holder 74 mounted on the inner wall of the outercasing 11 by means of screws 75 and 76. As seen in FIG. 2, the fuse islocated below a central portion of the conducting plate 61.

The fuse is accessible by opening a cover 77 of an opening in the bottomwall of the outer casing 11. The fuse is arranged to interrupt thecircuit if a temperature higher than the normal operating temperature isreached.

A handle 78 is fitted to the outside wall of the said outer casing 11through the medium of holders 79' and 80 and connecting rings 81 and 82,for the convenience of carrying the casing.

In FIGS. and 6 there is shown in more detail a bobbin 37 comprising aninner cylinder 37a and an outer cylinder 37b. All of the bobbins havethe same inner diameter irrespective of the outer diameters in order tomount easily on the heater rods 60.

The annular spacebetween the inner cylinder 37a and the outer cylinder37b is filled with heat accumulating material 370, for instance,polycarbonate (melting point 200 to 300 C.).

The inner cylinder 37a is made of high thermal conductivity material, byway of example, aluminum, formed with one end open and the other endclosed. The open end of the inner cylinder is enlarged as seen in FIG.5. On the other hand, the outer cylinder 37b is made of hard syntheticresin, for example polypropylene, formed with its one end open and theother closed, and its enter outer surface is provided with projections37d on which to twine hair.

Red colored thermo paint 37e is coated on the center of the closed endof said outer cylinder 37b. This thermo point 37e reversibly turns blackwhen bobbin 37 reaches a. certain prescribed temperature, which ishelpful in confirming the reaching of temperatures necessary for curlinghair.

The inner cylinder 37a is detachably engageable in heat transferringrelation with the abovementioned heat conductor rods 60. The electriccircuit is shown in FIG. 7.

4 The terminals 46a and 46b of the connector-46 are to be connectedelectrically to an AC 120 v. power supply 83 through the medium of thecord 36.

The terminal 46a is connected by a lead wire 84 to one end 85 of thethermostat temperature fuse 73 device. The other end 86 of the saidtemperature fuse 73 is connected by a lead wire 87 to one end of theheating element 68 through branch terminal 88. The other end of theheating element 68 is connected through a branch terminal 89 and leadwire 90 to one terminal 91 of the thermostat mechanism 71. The otherterminal 92 of the thermostat mechanism 71 is connected by a lead wire93 to the terminal of the aforementioned connector pin 45b.

The abovementioned branch terminals 88 and 89 are connected with eachother by means of lead wires 44a of the pilot lamp 44, whereby the pilotlamp 44 forms a circuit in parallel with the heating mechanism 68 of theconducting plate 61.

As shown in FIG. 1, ventilating holes 94 are formed in the bottom wall11a of the outer casing 11.

The operation of the device is as follows. The fasteners 19 and 21provided between the outer casing 11 and the cover 12 are disengaged inorder to open the cover 12.

The support plate 39 is removed from compartment 32 by pulling upwardlyon the spare bobbins 37 or on rods 41. The power cord 36 can then beremoved from compartment 32 and is supported on projecting springs 38which are arranged on the inner wall of compartment 32. The desiredcurling bobbins are engaged with heat conductors 60. The top surface ofheat conducting plate 58 is in contact with the bottom end of thebobbins. Connector 360 of power cord 36 is connected to connector pins46a and 46b and plug 36b is connected to an AC power supply 83. Currentflows to connector 360 from the power supply through plug 36b and powercord 36a. From connector 360 the current passes through connector pin46b, lead wire 93, the thermostat mechanism 71, lead wire 90 and reachesthe branch point 89. Current then flows through the electric heatingelement 68 and reaches branch point 88, and then flows through lead wire87 and into terminal 86 of temperature fuse 73 and returns to powersupply 83 after passing through terminal 85 lead wire 84, connector pin46a connector 36b, cord 36a and plug 36c.

The electric heating element 61 gets red hot and the heat evolved istransmitted to the heat conducting plate 61 incorporated into a singleunit with insulating material 69, and further communicated to the heatconductors 60 arranged on the heat conducting plate and to the innercylinders 37a of the bobbins 37 on said conductors 60,

Theheat thus communicated to the inner cylinders 37a is communicated tothe outer cylinder 37b While it is partly stored in the heataccumulating material 370.

In course of the above heat transmission, the heat conducting plate isheated up to a prescribed temperature. When it reaches a prescribedlevel of temperature, the contact 71a of the thermostat mechanism 71disengages the terminal 91 of the said mechanism 71 (see FIG. 7),thereby current flowing from the power supply 83 is interrupted, andsimultaneously with this, pilot lamp 44 goes out.

After a certain period of interruption, the temperature of the heatconducting plate 61 falls below a set value and the said thermostatmechanism 71 establishes again the heating circuit as explained above.

According to experiments, it takes about 6 min. after supplying currentto the heating circuit until thermo paint 37 coated on the bobbin 37turns from red to black. This discoloration is very helpful in judgingwhether the bobbin 37 is at an optimum temperature level.

After they have reached the optimum temperature, one can apply thebobbins 37 to the hair in an ordinary way after taking them off the heatconductors 60.

The heat storing material in the bobbin results in an effective useperiod of approximately 15 minutes.

Even if the first safety device 71 gets out of order so that it can notcut 011 power even when the heat conducting plates 61 reaches a settemperature, the temperature responsive fuse 73 constituting a secondsafety device, can automatically cutoff power thus preventing damage tothe device.

In an alternative construction of the bobbins, the open ends of theinner and outer cylinders are connected. Another modification comprisesfastening the heating mechanism to the heat conducting plate by means ofa series of hooks formed in the bottom metal plate of the heatingmechanism and cooperating with the top surface of the heat conductingplate.

Although I have described my invention with a certain degree ofparticularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has beenmade only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details ofconstruction and the combination and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of theinvention as hereinafter claimed.

What I claim is:

1. A heat storing curling bobbin and heating device comprising: a casehaving a floor portion composed of heat insulating material; said floorportion having a plurality of holes therethrough; a heat conductiveplate beneath said heat conductive plate for heating the same; mountingmeans for mounting as an integral unit said heat conductive plate andelectrical heating means beneath said floor portion in spaced relationthereto comprising spaced insulating strips positioned immediatelybeneath said floor portion and secured thereto, means securing said heatconductive plate to said strips, means mounting said heating meansbeneath said heat conductive plate, said mounting means comprising achannel-shaped plate having a bottom portion beneath said heating meansand side edges secured to said heat conductive plate; temperatureresponsive means connected in circuit with said heater means andarranged in heat conductive relation to said heat conductive plate forcontrolling the tempreature of said plate, a plurality of heatconductive heater rods projecting from said heat conductive platethrough said holes in said floor portion; a plurality of heat storingcurling bobbins each removably mounted on a heater rod and eachcomprising a hollow inner cylinder having a closed end and an open endand an intermediate cylinder disposed on the outside of said innercylinder with said intermediate cylinder formed of heat storing materialand an outer cylinder disposed on the outside of said intermediatecylinder with said outer cylinder having a plurality of radialprojections for twining hair, whereby said bobbins receive and storeheat generated by said heating means.

2. A heat storing curling bobbin and heating device as in claim 1wherein said outer cylinder is formed of a hard synthetic resin.

3. A heat storing curling bobbin and heating device as in claim 1wherein said outer cylinder is formed of polypropylene.

4. A heat storing curling bobbin and heating device as in claim 1wherein said inner cylinder is formed of a ma terial having high thermalconductivity.

5. A heat storing curling bobbin and heating device as in claim 1wherein said inner cylinder is formed of brass.

6. A heat storing curling bobbin and heating device as in claim 1wherein said intermediate cylinder is formed of polycarbonate.

7. A heat storing curling bobbin and heating device as in claim 1wherein an end portion of said outer cylinder is coated with atemperature responsive paint which changes color when reaching apredetermined temperature.

8. A heat storing curling bobbin and heating device as in claim 1wherein the internal diameters of said inner cylinders of all of saidbobbins are equal irrespective of the outer diameters of said outercylinders.

9. A heat storing curling bobbin and heating device as in claim 1wherein the portions defining the open ends of said inner and said outercylinders are connected in a fluid tight joint.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,576,558 11/1951 Bede 219-302 X3,257,541 1/1966 Jorgensen 219222 3,410,985 11/1968 Giacchero 2192222,415,254 12/1968 Brock et al. 219222 X ANTHONY BARTIS, Primary ExaminerUS. Cl. X.R.

